Assistant Professor
University of Central Florida
As a critical care- and case management-trained registered nurse, military veteran and dependent, and food pantry volunteer, Jennifer Crook had the opportunity to work in multiple states in the U.S., where she identified not only the existence of widespread food and nutritional insecurity, but a potentially overlooked connection between nutrition, chronic inflammation and chronic disease. Crookâs area of research uses epidemiological, immunological and epigenetic studies to understand the nutritional influence on inflammation in cancer diagnoses, with a goal of developing and implementing high-quality, culturally appropriate nutritional assessments and interventions and eventual nutritional policy reform. Most recently, Crook worked at the Mayo Clinic Comprehensive Cancer Center in efforts to reduce cancer disparities among marginalized and minoritized populations. Her passion is to create a world where nutrition status is prioritized in the prevention and treatment of cancer and other chronic disease diagnoses.